Japan Foundation Los Angeles presents Meet silk textile maker from Kyoto Kitamura Tokusai IX at Japan Foundation, 5700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90026 on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Free Admission. RSVP required.
Kitamura Tokusai IX is the proprietor of a 300-year-old artisanal silk textile shop in Nishijin, Kyoto.
Kitamura Tokusai’s family has been designing and making silk textiles, or fukusa, for practitioners of tea since 1712. Their inventory of fabrics feature over 400 patterns of historical significance, many of which were expressly favored by the founders and most prominent devotees of Japan’s tea culture.
In his presentation, Kitamura Tokusai will share stories about the intricate process of weaving silk textiles and recreating historical designs. He will also provide perspectives on how textiles that are made for use have played an important role in sustaining the livelihood of highly skilled weavers in Kyoto’s historic Nishijin area, which has been the main center for textile production in Japan for more than 1000 years. Many examples of Tokusai’s work will be on display at the presentation.
Pottery with Tokusai’s design by overglaze artist DOI Makiko will also be on display.
